Montague Gore

“ In the army and navy no reductions can, with reason, be required. At a moment like this, when all Europe is in arms; when, from the farthest borders of Poland, to the extremities of the Spanish Peninsula, the war-shout has gone forth; when not merely monarchs are at enmity, but nations are in arms! ”

“ But this alone will not avail, unless employment is also found at home for the great proportion of those who may not be inclined to emigrate. Whatever measure, therefore, tends to give employment to the poor, is entitled to the support of every well-wisher to the state.
Now we hear much of the evils of taxation; we hear great complaints of the injustice of various taxes; but there is one tax, which is more unjust, more oppressive, and more objectionable than all the others put together, and that is—the tax on labour! ”

“ Rather than the faith of England should be impeached—than her honour should be sullied, or than her safety should be endangered, there lives not a Briton who would wish to see a single impost remitted. But it is because I wish to preserve the honour of the country, and to see Britain still maintain her proud station amongst the nations of the earth, that I respectfully offer these suggestions to the public. ”

“ For although it may be true, that no very great remission of taxes is practicable, it is worthy of our best consideration, whether, by a different system of taxation, we might not materially lighten the pressure on the sources and springs of national industry, and thus, at once, afford employment to our poor, and augment our available resources. ”

“ Canning, how many evils are contained in that little word "war"— when we consider the evils that have resulted to Europe from unjust wars—it must be allowed that war should always be the last resource of a nation. ”

“ But every useless public office ought to be abolished with unsparing hand; and though it might not be equitable to take the pensions away from those who received them, on the implied understanding that they were to retain them for life, I trust the circumstance will be a warning to future governments, and induce them not to entail such an expense on the nation. ”

“ It may be an unpopular act to oppose the repeal of assessed taxes. It may be unpalatable to individuals to refrain to lighten their shoulders of a heavy burden; but the Government ought to know nothing of individual interests; it ought to know of no interest but that of Great Britain. Let Ministers look to this; let them not consider how they are to gain the support of this or that party, by the repeal of particular taxes ”

“ This is the dreadful evil that now preys on the vitals of the state, and which, unless promptly and vigorously arrested in its course, must prove, at no distant day, fatal to the welfare of the state. For this surplus population there are but two remedies: you must either enable the poor to emigrate to other countries, or you must find for them employment at home. ”

“ Is it conceivable that, at the very moment when we are complaining of not being able to find employment for the poor; when the press teems with nostrums for this purpose; and every one admits the necessity of finding such employment, that there should be continued a tax upon labour to the amount of no less than six millions per annum! ”

“ Whether we regard the distressed condition of our labourers at home, or look to the disturbed state of affairs abroad, the importance of closely and earnestly considering what may be the wisest course to take, in order to improve our finances, must be equally apparent. ”